Mount Hamilton CBC team
Christmas Bird Count
Would you like to participate in this year's Christmas Bird Count? It doesn’t matter what holidays you celebrate, this count is solely for the birds! It's the 125th year of the National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count, a nationwide community science program, and we’re excited to have you join us. The Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance will sponsor 4 "Count Circles" as part of the count, and we’re welcoming birders of all experience levels to join this year’s effort.
The organizers of the Count Circles welcome back teams from previous years, and welcome volunteers who are new this year. Each Count Circle sends out teams of people to cover their assigned territories. While the team needs at least one person with strong bird identification skills, we can find a place for intermediate and beginning birders, as well. Most teams use eBird to track their sightings, so you're likely already familiar with most of the protocols!
If you've helped with one of the CBC Count Circles in prior years, reach out to your team leader or to the count circle organizer if you've not been contacted yet. If you're new, contact the organizer for the count you wish to join (see below), and they'll help to find an assignment for you. We need some volunteers to lead birding teams, to organize, or simply to spot and identify birds.
This years dates
December 15 (Sunday) - San Jose Count Circle, Mike Azevedo geochelone@aol.com
December 16 (Monday) - Palo Alto Count Circle, Ann Hepenstal organizer; Al Eisner, compiler paloaltocbc@gmail.com
December 28 (Saturday) - Morgan Hill/Calero Count Circle, Rick Herder rick.herder@gmail.com
January 4 (Saturday) - Mt. Hamilton Count Circle, Bob Hirt bobhirt@aol.com
The San Jose and Palo Alto Count Circles include territories along the Bay, in suburbia, in the chapparal, in the hills, and more. Palo Alto Count Circle encompasses areas across both Santa Clara County and San Mateo County. Morgan Hill/Calero and Mt. Hamilton count circles are in southern Santa Clara County, and include interesting habitat. Click on the appropriate link to view a map of the count circles, and the great birding territories in each one.
Participants meet up at the end of the day for the "Countdown Dinner," a social event to connect with other birders, share your stories, hear about the great sightings, and see the data come in! Join the fun this year.
New to the CBC? Want to expand your participation?
Join our in-person workshop on Saturday, December 7, 10-11:30am at McClellan Ranch in Cupertino with Mike Azevedo from the San Jose Circle. We’ll be learning about the data we collect on the CBC, the planning that goes into organizing an event that involves more than 200 birders across our county, and doing some practice counting in the ranch’s restored meadow habitat.
This workshop is perfect for birders new to the CBC, as well as CBC veterans who are looking to step up their participation in this event. Registration is free.